Susan R. Atlas

Susan R. Atlas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of New Mexico. Her research focuses on atomic and molecular physics, materials theory, and computational physics, with applications to quantum systems, molecular dynamics, and interfacial phenomena. She holds a PhD in Chemical Physics from Harvard University (1988) and an MA in Physics from Harvard (1981).

Her work integrates theoretical and computational approaches to study energy transfer in complex systems, including metallic alloys, biomolecular motors, and synthetic cells. Recent projects emphasize atomistic modeling of defects in materials, quantum-classical hybrid simulations, and high-performance computing for astrophysical and medical applications. Dr. Atlas has contributed to advancements in density functional theory, charge transfer potentials, and drug discovery for pediatric leukemias.

Publications span over three decades, addressing topics from kinesin mechanochemistry to GPU-accelerated supercomputing. She remains active in developing community frameworks for bottom-up synthetic biology and interdisciplinary computational methodologies.